Laker Nation News

Recently, the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) honored Lake Land College Nursing Instructors Katelyn Bloemer and Tarah Haskenherm with the Nurse Educator Fellowship award.

The Nurse Educator Fellowship program aims to recognize and ensure the retention of well-qualified nursing faculty with a $10,000 award. Participation in this program is open to Illinois institutions of higher learning with a nursing program approved by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the Association Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

Recipients must first be nominated for the honor by the chief nursing administrator from their respective institutions. All nominations are then reviewed by the IBHE, and recipients are selected based on individual accomplishments, program improvements, research efforts and other contributions to their respective nursing programs. When nominating Bloemer and Haskenherm for the honor, Director of Nursing Programs Cassandra Porter recognized their use of advanced pediatric training and innovative testing preparation, respectively.

“The Fellowship Award is a testament to Katelyn and Tarah’s dedication, innovation and commitment to Lake Land College’s nursing programs,” Lake Land College President Josh Bullock said. “Their achievements not only reflect their individual excellence but also contribute to the overall success of our nursing programs.”

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On Monday, April 8, Lake Land College hosted “The Sun and Moon Meet in Mattoon,” a solar eclipse event for students.

Attending students received glitter tattoos, enjoyed eclipse-themed snacks, completed crafts and traced their footprints on a banner resembling the moon’s surface. The Lake Land College IT department also set up a greenscreen photobooth to project students onto a variety of interstellar backdrops.

Attendees received free glasses to view the eclipse on campus. Vision-impaired students were able to experience the eclipse with a “LightSound” device, which was assembled by Scott Rhine, IT Instructor/Program Coordinator, IT-Network Administration Program. A livestream of the eclipse from NASA was also available to watch in both Webb Hall and the Luther Student Center theater.

To learn more about the many student events and activities on campus, visit the Lake Land College Student Life webpage at LakeLandCollege.edu/student-life/.

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Lake Land College recently received a $127,500 grant from the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) to support the advancement of its dual credit programs.

With the assistance of these funds, Lake Land will provide local high schools with essential dual credit instructional materials and textbooks, cover costs for high school educators’ professional development and directly engage with students and parents with program information.

“Thanks to the ICCB grant, we’re able to extend our assistance further,” Tessa Wiles, Director of Dual Credit and Honors Experience, said. “This grant empowers us to bridge gaps and create opportunities, ensuring all students, regardless of their backgrounds, have access to quality education and a pathway to success.”

Dual credit programs have become an increasingly popular method for Illinois high school students to earn college-level credits. Cumulative dual credit enrollment in Illinois has increased by 29% over the last five years and 65% over the last 10 years.

With this new grant, the ICCB seeks to support further growth and development of dual credit programs throughout the state. Lake Land College is one of 24 Illinois community colleges to receive this grant support, which collectively totals more than $3 million.

More information about Lake Land College’s dual credit programs is available on the Lake Land College website at LakeLandCollege.edu/dual-credit/. For additional questions about the program, contact Wiles at 217-234-5044 or twiles@lakelandcollege.edu.

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Lake Land College is offering up to $100 in tuition savings for all students who register for Summer or Fall 2024 classes by midnight on May 10.

Students who meet the criteria will receive a $50 tuition and fee credit for each registered semester. By registering for both summer and fall classes, students can receive the maximum incentive of $100.

To be eligible for the tuition credit, students must be enrolled in a minimum of three credit hours for summer and six credit hours for fall.

The promotion is available to all current and incoming Lake Land College students.

To get started at Lake Land College visit lakelandcollege.edu/getting-started or contact Counseling Services at 217-234-5232 or counsel@lakelandcollege.edu.

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Lake Land College will host a “Healing Hands” informational session for students interested in its Massage Therapy and Physical Therapist Assistant programs. The event will be held on Wednesday, April 17 from 5-7 p.m. at the Lake Land College Kluthe Center, located in Effingham at 1204 Network Centre Blvd.

During the event, students will learn more about Lake Land’s Massage Therapy and Physical Therapist Assistant programs, meet with faculty, tour facilities and explore relevant career opportunities. Attendees will also enjoy free pizza and pasta served throughout the evening.

Those interested in attending the event should register online by Tuesday, April 16 on the Lake Land College visit page at lakelandcollege.edu/visit. Minors should be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

To learn more about the event, contact Martha Mioux, Director of Physical Therapist Assistant & Massage Therapy Programs, at 217-540-3551 or mmioux@lakelandcollege.edu.

On Monday, the Lake Land College women’s basketball team defeated Jackson College 80-70 to advance into the second round of the NJCAA Division II National Tournament.

After trailing 45-34 at the half, the Lakers managed a late-game rally to pull off the victory, outscoring the Jets 24-7 in the final 10 minutes. Sydney Richards, Sigel, led the Lakers in scoring with 21 points.

The Lakers will face Kirkwood Community College for the second round of the tournament on March 19 at 8 p.m. CST. The game will be held at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, Missouri.

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The Lake Land College women’s basketball team secured a spot in the NJCAA Division II National Tournament with an at-large bid.

The team finished the season with a 24-8 record, going 10-4 in conference play. They played nine games against ranked opponents over the course of the season and secured five wins against top-15 teams.

The Lakers will face Jackson College for the first round of tournament play. The game will be held at 3 p.m. on Monday, March 18 at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, Missouri.

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Lake Land College will host two budget workshop events to share tips on managing personal finance. Both events will be held in Luther Student Center room 440 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20 and Tuesday, March 26.

The workshops will be led by Katie Devall, certified housing counselor from the Embarras River Basin Agency, Inc. (ERBA). Located in Charleston, ERBA offers a wide range of financial support services, including education in personal finance management.

During the workshops, participants will view a presentation, engage in interactive activities, enjoy snacks and win prizes. The workshops are open to Lake Land College students, staff and faculty as well as members of the community.

To RSVP, contact Student Wellness Specialist Wally Rubin by text at 217-234-5383 or by email at vrubin@lakelandcollege.edu.

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The Lake Land College Board of Trustees approved the first tuition increase in four years at the regular March meeting on Monday.

The increase follows four years of commitment to hold tuition as steady as possible for students. Tuition and fees remained the same between fiscal years 21 and 22, and then decreased by 7.4% in fiscal year 23. Last year, tuition and fees were rolled back to fiscal year 21 and 22 rates.

“Lake Land College is committed to delivering a high-quality education to our students, while remaining one of the most affordable educational choices in the state of Illinois,” Lake Land President Josh Bullock said. “As we begin planning for the fiscal year 2025 budget, we are working diligently to balance our budget and sustain the high value of a Lake Land College education.”

The new tuition rate will equal $113.50 per credit hour, a $3 tuition increase compared to the previous rate that was first established in fiscal year 21. Fees will also be increased by a total of $1.50 per credit hour, bringing Lake Land College’s total, per-credit hour cost to $147.17 beginning with the 2024 Summer Term.

A full-time student taking 30 credit hours per year will have a total tuition and fees bill of $4,415.10 for the school year, which includes the College’s book rental program. That is about one-third of a typical state university tuition and fees bill.

Lake Land College continues to offer one of the lowest tuition and fee rates among community colleges in the state of Illinois, making higher education accessible to all and providing pathways for career advancement without the weight of student debt.

A full breakdown of college’s tuition and fees are available on the Lake Land College website at LakeLandCollege.edu/Tuition-and-Fees/.

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The Lake Land College Board of Trustees appointed Larry Lilly, Mattoon, to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Mike Sullivan, Mattoon. The appointment followed closed session of the regularly scheduled March meeting.

Lilly’s term on the board will begin with the next regular meeting on April 8 and will continue until the next consolidated election in April of 2025.

Lilly is a Lake Land College alumnus, class of 1985. He began his career in teaching and later served as the Superintendent of the Mattoon School District from 2004 to 2020. He currently works as an educational consultant to mentor school administrators and coordinate career pathways programs. Throughout his career, he has served on a several boards to promote education, health, opportunity and economic development in local regions.

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